Though only two seafloor mining permits
have been issued - in Papua New Guinea and the Red Sea - and no mineral
extraction work has begun, limited research completed so far predicts
wide-ranging implications for marine benthic organisms and indirect impacts on
fishing, tourism and coastal communities.

Mining companies have recognised the
potential of deep sea areas for extracting large quantities of key minerals
such as seafloor massive sulphides (SMS), manganese nodules and cobalt-rich
crust.

Drivers for the increased interest in deep
sea mining included high global metal demand, rising metal prices and
improvements in marine mining technology.

Mr. Akuila Tawake from the Pacific Islands
Applied Geoscience and Technology Division (SOPAC) in the Secretariat of the
Pacific Community said the difficulty for less wealthy countries with large
mineral deposits offshore could be keeping a balanced view.

The richer mineral content of deep sea ore
was also an attractive proposition, as whole land-based SMS ore prices were
between US$50-180 per tonne, deep sea ore could be worth US$500-1500, Mr.
Tawake said.

SOPAC deep sea mining legal adviser Hannah
Lily said key mining areas were outside most national jurisdictions of the
exclusive economic zones and were governed by the United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea.

She said mining companies still required
the approval of the country or territory bordering the potential mining site,
which meant relevant laws and policies needed to be designed to protect Pacific
communities.

One of the many impacts expected from deep
sea mining was the damage caused by mechanical extraction of minerals to
hydrothermal vent ecosystems, World Wildlife Fund

Australia marine policy
manager Mr. Paul Gamblin said.

“This could damage the potential for future
scientific, medicinal or recreational opportunities in unique vent ecosystems.
We believe this is one of the biggest gambles to happen on the planet for
marine ecosystems,” Mr. Gamblin said.